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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · wax · band · patient · scale · safe · last · current

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. current — electric
  6. last — finally
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. current — happening now
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — there
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — final
  15. band — a music group
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. current — of water
  19. band — a ring
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. present — a gift
  22. scale — size or range
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. scale — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com